You really have to focus on the details in this to know what's going on but once you do it is so worth it. The art was amazing and the meaning behind the flowers in the bouguet nearly made me cry. The southern gothic feeling of the visuals ties in really well to the darker aspects of the story, honestly so glad that folklore of the south is getting a lot of attention recently. Will DEFINETLY be buying this in print when it's out. Absolutely wonderful.

The Cutting Garden instantly pulled me in with its absolutely gorgeous cover, it’s one of those that makes you stop and stare before you even know what the story is about. And honestly, the inside doesn’t disappoint. The watercolor style is just stunning. It perfectly captures the softness and fragility of the natural world shown in the comic, giving everything this dreamy, almost ethereal vibe.

The story itself feels very mysterious at first. You’re not given everything right away, which I really liked. As you move forward, more pieces slowly fall into place, and that sense of discovery keeps you engaged. There’s this quiet tension running underneath the surface that makes you want to keep turning the pages.

That said, there were moments when the pacing felt a bit rushed. Sometimes it seemed like the story got shy and quickly jumped to the next scene instead of staying a little longer in the emotional weight of the current one. I would’ve loved a bit more time to sit with certain moments.

Overall, though, it’s a beautifully illustrated and intriguing read, delicate, moody, and definitely memorable.

Amazing read!!! The book is breathtaking that i couldn’t stop reading it!! The art, the storyline, the characters took all my attention away!! I wonder what adeil is. That part was vague but i feel sad for her as she decay like that… she reunited josette with her daughter even after a long time…i love everything about the story. The way the story was written. I want moreee something like this!!!
The art are sooooo gorgeous!!

A poignant, beautifully illustrated graphic novel. A story of unlikely friendships, of running away, of growing apart, of a mission to reunite a mother with her daughter, one achieved and celebrated with letting go entirely. Haunting and quiet, the story builds tension slowly, the set up unusual and sad, then the story beginning with violence and running and distance and desperation. In the middle there is peace, glorious and settled, flowers bloom and food is abundant and their relationship is good. Then the spiral, the fall, the distance and the finale. It is brilliantly paced for the highest impact, devastating and strange and hopeful.

A beautiful, unique tale, stunningly illustrated and masterfully told.

My first ever graphic novel and it was actually pretty cool. The cover is beautiful, the graphics in the inside where very well done and very beautiful. The story itself was very intriguing, it had me hooked from the start wanting to know what was going to happen next. Wish it was longer though. I wanted more from it. But it was a really good read.

Una giovane fiorista sta chiudendo il suo negozio quando una ragazzina, silenziosa e impassibile, le chiede un mazzo di fiori. Sarà troppo tardi l'indomani, dice - e mentre i fiori vengono scelti e composti dalle mani esperte della fioraia, le racconta una storia.
Una storia d'amore? Forse. Una storia di morte? Di sicuro.
Una storia sulla bellezza e la caducità, e su come tutto sia destinato a finire. Ma come solo dalla fine possa nascere altra bellezza.
Una fiaba mostruosa e raffinata, piena di sottintesi, in cui conta più il non detto di quello che viene messo sulla pagina, sia per quanto riguarda l'amore che per quanto riguarda l'orrore; con testi delicati e tavole di struggente, malinconica bellezza, da esplorare continuamente, da gustarsi particolare per particolare.
Unico difetto: il carattere poco leggibile, che costringe a risvegliarsi da quella che è quasi un'ipnosi per decifrare parole e frasi.
Per il resto, impeccabile.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a beautiful and haunting paranormal gothic horror graphic novel.

Set in early twentieth-century French Quarter New Orleans, a strange young girl named Adeil walks into a flower shop and tells a dark and captivating tale. While the woman makes an arrangement, Adeil begins to weave an unbearable story, tying the lives of the florist, a woman named Josette, and Adeil together.

I adored this graphic novel. The stunning watercolor illustrations were phenomenal and captured both the beauty and the macabre aspects of the story with a timeless quality. The plot unfolds slowly, bit by bit, much like the bouquet coming together. It was chilling at times, and I even got goosebumps at one point. Darcy Van Poelgeest and Erin Connally are both new to me, but I hope they collaborate on more projects. I can’t wait to check out more of their work.

Art: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
My Enjoyment: 5/5

This was a beautiful literary piece in a graphic novel format with gorgeous watercolor style artwork.

The storytelling is very abstract and purposefully ambiguous, it’s not always easy to assemble a clear meaning from it. The context is obviously symbolic though, which opens the door to several possible interpretations of its deeper themes.

Personally, I wish some parts had been a little more hand holding or slightly clearer in terms of meaning, but the overall experience still felt very immersive.

Amazing story, I loved the artwork and Adeils and Josettes relationship! The artwork was soft and faint compared to the stark contrast of the harsh story contents and I was a little confused in parts but then it all made sense

This was beautiful, from the stunning artwork to the slowly built, haunting story itself. This was so atmospheric, I wouldn't mind ten novels in this world!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Cutting Garden is a haunting gothic graphic novel that blends dreamlike artwork with slow, atmospheric storytelling.

The story unfolds in a quiet, eerie world where subtle horror and emotional tension build steadily beneath the surface. Rather than relying on shock or violence, the narrative leans into mood and character, allowing the mystery and unease to grow naturally.

What works especially well is the book’s restraint. The watercolor artwork creates a surreal, almost dreamlike atmosphere, while the slow pacing gives the story time to breathe and build tension. The combination of delicate visuals and complex characters leaves a lasting impression long after the final page.

Some readers may feel the story drags in places, but the deliberate pacing strengthens the haunting tone and reinforces the dreamlike quality of the narrative.

If you’re a fan of gothic storytelling and atmospheric horror, this one is well worth reading.

⭐ 5/5 stars

'There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you'

A haunting story about love and family. Adeil comes to the florist shop to get a bouquet for a funeral. As she waits she shares a story that will change the owner's life.

I really enjoyed the story. The mystery unravels slowly as Adeil tells her story. The author gives us glimpses of the scenes leaving the interpretation to the reader. There were subtle horror undertones concerning Adeil and what happened to the missing people. The watercolor art was amazing and made the story even more atmospheric.

A beautiful watercolour southern gothic graphic novel.
There is a deeply classic feel to this very beautiful book, which reminded me of 1800s vampire short stories, the ones that came out before Dracula and are more about atmosphere and "Romanticism" (the literary movement).
I really enjoyed it, this is the type of thing that is totally up my alley.
The flaws for a modern text is the omniscient narrator, built like an old tale it makes sense, but it creates a big distance with the reader. Also, answers will never really be given, it's not the point, but you can have fun guessing at what it means.
I especially liked the illustration style that reminded me a lot of Isabelle Dethan's work and recommend this book to people who enjoy the old gothic tales in the spirit of The monkey paw.

A dark, beautiful gothic meditation on the relationship between mothers and daughters that was beautifully rendered and was written with a lot of thought and feeling. This was a beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking read which I will remember for a very long time. (Full rating 4.5 out of 5 stars)

Rating: 5 stars
Rating explanation: would recommend, enjoyed it, will be buying the book

Okay… to be honest, I can’t piece together everything I just read and I will definitely need to read it again. But it was one of the most intriguing, beautiful, thought provoking books I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

You get depth into the characters that… doesn’t help to make them transparent, yet you unexpectedly relate to them through what is shared about them. The storytelling is so unique, and that’s what really makes it a good read.

Check out @keelykanread for more comments on the book :)

The most beautifully illustrated graphic novel I have ever read. The story is charming in a peaceful, haunting kind of way—there’s an elegance to what is left unspoken. I always find myself pleasantly surprised when shorter stories feel so impactful, and this is one of those instances. A worthwhile read, though the cursive can be a little difficult to decipher at times, so it’s best accompanied by your reading glasses.

Incredible, I almost have no words.
I’m not a huge graphic novel reader but I devoured this in one sitting and am thrilled to have read it. A beautiful, haunting story of loss and decay framed by the most stunning muted watercolour illustrations, an absolute joy to read and absorb.
A small note on accessibility, the font choice was beautiful but maybe a little hard to read at times.

“I think men decide what’s best for themselves, and women have grown accustomed to letting them”

I went into this story blind, completely drawn in by the cover.

This is a beautiful, heart wrenching story. The illustrations are absolutely stunning.

I’d say this is not for those that like everything tied up into a pretty bow in the end. There are mysteries left for you to interpret.

Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of The Cutting Garden, this is one that’s going to stick with me.

This was my first approved graphic novel ARC on Netgalley and I'm Delighted!!

The art style was so timelessly beautiful and every scene was truly a painting that felt like it'd come alive off the pages. It was so atmospheric, caught between a fairytale, a horror, and a coming of age novel, which I found so fascinating and engaging because I genuinely had no idea what was around the corner.

This left me staring off into the distance, piecing together the pages I just consumed. What an insanely beautiful, heartbreaking, and even more so heartwarming story. The art is some of the most magnificent I've seen. The last 10 percent had me fighting back tears with a ball of emotion in my throat. It gives so much, while also missing just enough. But it works. It doesn't need to spell these things out because you just know. You can infer the character of Adeil from her patterns and response to jealousy. You can see the distance that her nature has created but you can also see the immense amount of love that exists, even towards the end. You can see it, feel it, both building and unraveling. Absolutely phenomenal.

Thank you to the author, the artist, the publisher, and NetGalley for the free emotional torment in exchange for my honest review!

The cover and illustrations are so beautiful.

The story is dreamlike and sometimes strange.

I think people who like fantasy would like this.

The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest is a visually striking graphic novel that blends atmosphere with subtle tension. 🌿
The artwork is detailed and immersive, enhancing a story that unfolds at a steady pace and leans into mood and symbolism. While the narrative can feel understated at times, it creates a lingering, slightly eerie tone that stays with you.
A solid choice for readers who enjoy thoughtful, visually driven graphic novels. 📖✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the e-ARC of The Cutting Garden!
4 / 5 ⭐
A strange bouquet of words about the dignity of decay. The art is truly stunning but I wish the narrative was explored more deeply, Part of that might have been accessibility concerns with the ARC; as others have said, parts were hard to read.

This was a fantastic story that really emulated Interviews with a Vampire and would be a great addition to any fantasy or gothic readers collections. The art was beautiful as well and really added to the complexity of the story. I’d love a bit more on Adeils character but other than that I have no notes.

In an age of AI and monotonous art, it was absolutely lovely to read this story and savor in the lovingly painted watercolor illustrations throughout the entire book. It could not have been any small effort to illustrate so many panels yet the artwork remained soft and human serving as feathery wings for the cozy botanical horror of the story. Haunting and simultaneously comforting. What a gem of a find.

Creator, keep up the good work! Your artistry and vision is appreciated.

I absolutely LOVE this graphic novel. It is so raw and touches my heart. As a mother, I can relate to the main character so much. I never cry over a story, but this one had me teary eyed at the end.

Not to mention, the artwork is absolutely stunning. With breaks in the story, there are drawn plants with the names of the plants. Absolutely breathtaking.

Not too often when I say I will be getting a copy for my library, but this one is a must.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Image Comics for this amazing graphic novel. #TheCuttingGarden

Beautiful and full of longing, this follows the stories of a young girl looking for a sense of belonging in the world. This was heartbreakingly beautiful.

Beautifully illustrated with a lush dichotomy of light to darkness. Veil thin, ethereal touches meet pages somehow illuminated with lush blacks - all lending perfectly to the subject material and botanical undergrowth.